To conspiracy theorists, there is no such thing as a coincidence in politics. So conspiracy theorists must be intrigued by some recent developments concerning the Couillard government.

This week, La Presse columnist Michèle Ouimet reported that Premier Philippe Couillard’s chief of staff, Jean-Louis Dufresne, recently made an unusual trip to Saguenay to consult Gérard Bouchard. The latter was co-chair, with Charles Taylor, of a 2007-08 commission of inquiry into religious accommodations.

Ouimet reported that they discussed Bill 62, the Couillard government’s proposed legislation on accommodations, which almost nobody outside the government likes.

Dufresne and Bouchard did not disclose what they said. But, coincidence or not, on Friday, two days after Ouimet’s column appeared, La Presse published an opinion piece by Bouchard in which he called for another inquiry on accommodations.

This inquiry would not include public hearings like those held by the Bouchard-Taylor commission, which provided a platform for xenophobia. Rather, it would privately conduct research to show the public whether its perceptions about accommodations are founded.

Bouchard wrote that the Couillard government should have held such an inquiry in connection with Bill 62.

Hmm. Is that a trial balloon rising above Saguenay? If the government was looking for a pretext to shelve a bill that almost nobody wants, there it is.

Launching an inquiry is what governments often do when they want to play for time and want an excuse for putting off action on a controversial issue. And Bouchard’s proposal would mean no media coverage of public hearings in the meantime.

When Moreau fell ill last January, he had just been appointed education minister, one of the most important cabinet portfolios. Couillard replaced him with Sébastien Proulx, but allowed Moreau to keep his minister’s pay and chauffeur-driven car by creating a cabinet title for him as delegate minister for finance.

Couillard needs Moreau in a major portfolio, but it almost certainly won’t be education, even though that’s supposed to be one of the government’s current priorities.

The simplest thing for Couillard would be to give Moreau the Treasury Board chair, now held by Carlos Leitão in addition to the key finance portfolio, which would put Moreau in charge of controlling government spending.

But Moreau’s communication skills might be wasted at the Treasury Board, now that the major cost-cutting to balance the annual budget appears to be over.

And if Moreau replaces a minister in another portfolio, the shuffle might not end there.

So what might that portfolio be? Well, Moreau happens to be a lawyer by profession, which qualifies him to be justice minister, the portfolio now held by Vallée.

He might be a stronger spokesman for the government on accommodations. And if the present bill is to be shelved, it might be easier for a new minister to do it.

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